Machine for cutting lenses.



c. w. HOWLAND. v

MACHINE FOR CUTTING LENSES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 12, 1912.

1:,1%1,896, Patented June 1, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

'IHE NORRIS PETFRS c0. PHOTO-LITHOU wAsHINGmN D. c

C. W. HOWLAND.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING LENSES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-12, 1912.

1 ,1%l,. Patented June 1, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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THE NORRIS PETERS co.. PHuTc-Ln'HQ. WASHINGTON, n. c.

c. w. HOWLAND.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING LENSES.

APPLICATION man SEPT- 12, 1912.

l 9 1 1 ,896 Patented J une 1, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- THE AIORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTCLITHO WASHINGTON, D, C

Ann

FlC. A

GHAUNOEY W. HOWLAND, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD OPTICAL COMPANY, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING- LENSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June1,1915.

Application filed September 12, 1912. Serial No. 719,939.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAUNOEY W. I-Iow- LAND, of Geneva,in the county of Ontario, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Lenses, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in machines for cutting lenses somewhat similar to that set forth in my Patent #701,0d6, May 27, 1902, except that it refers more particularly to the lens former or means for imparting motion to the cutter to give the lens the desired form.

In mounting lenses for eyeglasses or spectacles, it is desirable, if not necessary, to have the mechanical centers of the lenses the same distances apart as the pupilary distance between the eyes in order that the lenses if accurately ground may be properly focused. These lenses are generally more or,

less elliptical in form but vary materially in size, and while the main object of my present invention is to provide an adjustable former which may be used in connection with a cutter for producing these various sizes of lenses, the specific object is to avoid any variation in the length of the major axis and at the same time to permit a relatively wide variation in the transverse width or length of the minor axis, thereby keeping the center of the lenses the proper pupilary dis tance apart when mounted for eyeglasses or spectacles. In other words I have sought to produce a former which is adjustable transversely'of itsmaj or axis for the purpose of increasing the width of the lens without materially affecting its length, whereby lenses of widely varying transverse or vertical width may be assembled in the same mountings with the assurance that the centers of the lenses will be substantially the same distances apart corresponding to the pupilary distance between the eyes.

Another object is to provide adjustable cutter shifting means co-acting with they former for slightly deforming the outline of the lens from that of the former, as, for eX- ample, increasing the curvature of the lens where the corresponding portion of the former is of comparatively long radius and reducing the curvature of the lenswhere the corresponding portion of relatively short radius.

Other ob ects and uses relating to specific the former is of parts of the lens forming means will be brought out in the following description.

In the draw1ngs-Figure 1 is a side elevachine embodying the various features of my lnvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the same machine taken on line 22, Fig. 1. Figs. 3, l and 5 are respectively a top plan, an inverted plan and an edge view of the detached lens former, a

larger sized lens Fig. 8 is a transverse ver-' tical sectional view of the expanded former taken on line 8-8, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional View of the same former taken on line 99, Fig. 5 showing the cooperating head of the cutter spindle in top planin. position for cutting the lens to approximately the same contour as the former. Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view similar to Fig. 9 showing the head of the cutter spindle as adjusted for cutting the lens to a slightly different or more oval form than that of the former. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the detached base plate of the former. views of the opposite adjustable lens forming sections.

This machine comprises a hollow base 1 having an upright standard 2- rising from the. rear side thereof and terminating at its upper end in a forwardly projectlng arm 3, the standard 2 beingprovided with integral laterally projecting arms l and 5 located respectively near the base and top of the standard,all of Figs. 12 and 13 are perspective tion, partly in section, of a lens cutting maa pendant shaft or spindle -1'0 journaled in a bracket 11 and adapted to be opertions,

ated by a handle 12. projecting laterally from the lower end of the shaft or spindle. The object of this adjustment is topermit the lens to be shifted relatively to the cutter for cutting different-sizes of lenses, the eccentric being provided with an index movable around a graduatedv plate -l3+ to indicate the degree of shifting movement of the bed 6 and consequently the size. of the lens to be cut. A vertical shaft or spindle -la is centrally journaled in a suitable bearing 15 centrally in the. bed- ..6.. and is provided at itslupper end with, an enlarged head or disk 16 forming. a lens support, which. is preferably made, of metal and is provided in its upper face with a central socket 17. in whichis fitt d a cushion disk .1 8. of cork or equivalent material upon which the lens to. be cut is adapted to rest; to preventbreakage by direct contact withjthe metal and also to increasethe friction between the. lens and support, to causeit to rotate therewith during the cutting operation. This lens support isnormally in. a plane. some distance below the cutter; presently described, and is adapted to'be elevated to bring the lens intov contact with. the cutter by means of a hand lever I which isv pivoted intermediate its, ends at 2.0. to a bracket on the interior of. the. base 1, and has its inner end engaged, with an end thrust bearing or step -2l. on the lower end of the spindle 14, the outer end of the lever being provided with a handle 22 by which it may be operated to elevate the-lens support, the latter together with the leverbeing returned by gravity to their normal. posi- The. periphery of. the lens support l6 is provided with a circular seriesof teeth constituting a. gear 23 which Ineshes witha pinipn just at the rear thereof. This pinion is also journaled in the. sliding b8d;6?'". and is connected by a universal jointto an upright shaftsection, 25%, the

latter being also connected by a universal joint to. asuperposed upright shaft section .which is journaled in the. arm .3 and carries atits, upper endajpinion 26 adapted to mesh. with a hand driven gear 27;. having an operating handle 28.

This gear 27 -,is secured to the .upperend of a hollow upright shaft 29. which is journaled in a suitable bearing in the front end. oft-he and has its, lower end. I provided" with an enlarged head or disk, 3() bearing against the underside of the arm andjtogether with the gear.27. hold.- ing. the shaft +29 against end-wise vertical movement by bearing. against the lower and upper faces of the arm.

-29 in which is also located a coil spring 33 having one end bearing against a shoulder 34- on the shaft '31'and its upper endengaged with a screw bushing '34: in the upper end of the sleeve so as to cause the lower end of the shaft -31- to, press;v the lens upon its support under yielding adjustable pressure. A vertical rock Sllihft.f35f is j ournaled at its lower and upper ends in the arms 4l and 5 of thestandard 2, the lower arm 4- being, provided with a socket in which is seated a. coil spring. 36 supporting the shaft 35 and parts carried thereby.

Secured to the shaft -35 .-is a, horizontally sw n n r ke Z- ca y ng p its forward end a vertical rock shaft- 38- forv receiving; and-supportinga lenscutter 39 the latter being disposed some distance below the lower edge of the bracket -3.7 and together with said bracket being held above the. plane. of the lens support -1G by means of the spring ,36. Sufficient clearancev is left between the lower side of the bracket '37 and upper face of the arm 4l. to permitthe bracket with the cutter thereonto be depressed for the purpose of disengaging the cutter supporting ,spinldle from. the formerwhen desired.

The parts thus far described are substantially the same as those. shown and described in my patent previously referred to and I will now proceed to describe the lens form '-ing mechanism forming the subject matter 1 of; pins .1l-land; a spring locking. member 42 said pins being secured to the disk -'30 and projecting downwardly therefrom. into alined apertures 41'% 1n therunderlying, portion of the base plates. .4:Q. to cause said base plate to rotate a with the sleeve 2i-), the'spring l2 resting-on. the, upper face. of the disk 30 andqbeing tensionedradially to. enter an 1 annular groove -4:3 in the inner face of the plate l0 to hold said plate againstdownward endwise displacement from the disk. By compressing this spring 4:2 towithdrawit from the groove 43'.,-the entire, former including the base plate l.0, may be withdrawn downwardly when thebracket 37 is depressed and rockedlaterally from beneath. theformer.

Rotatably mounted uponthe circular base being compressible by hand but normally f and permit it to be easily rotated on said plate.

The underside of the base plate provided with a raised flat rib 4t6 extending diametrically thereof and is also provided with another diametrically extending but relatively narrow rib 4:7"- at right angles to the raised portion 46, the raised portion 4l6 forming a guide for a pair of diametrically opposite substantially semi-circular cam plates -48- and The opposite edges of the raised portion 46 are parallel, while the undersides of the remaining portions of the plate are flat and substantially parallel with the underside of the raised portion l6--.

The transverse rib 4:7-. is provided with apertures --4l for receiving the locking pins 41 on the lower end of the sleeve 29--, the central portion of the rib -fl7 being cut away to form a recess --5l for a purpose presently described.

The cam plates l8 and ,4l9-' are provided in theirupper sides with diametrically extending grooves or recesses 53 of substantially the same vertical depth as the raised portion -46 which they are adapted to receive, the width of the grooves being about the same as the width of said raised portion so as to allow the cam plates to slide freely thereon and at the same time affording means by which the cam plates are slidably interlocked with the base, plate to rotate therewith. Each of the cam plates is provided in its underside with a substantially semi-elliptical groove -54, each forming a continuation of the other at the.

ends'to complete the approximately elliptical form of the groove. The meeting edges of these plates overlap and are adapted to slide one upon the other to form continuations of the groove and also continuations of the sides thereof which latter constitute inner and outer elliptical bearings. The lens former is therefore substantially circular in general outline and divided diametrically along the major axis of theelliptical groove, thereby forming similar semi circular plates which are adjustable transversely of the major axis and are provided with parallel semi-elliptical bearing faces forming the opposite walls of the groove for directing the movements of the lens cuttor in a manner hereinafter described. These cam plates are slidable radially in parallelism along and upon the raised portion -&6- and are held in place by means of a clamping plate 55, which is secured by a suitable fastening means asscrews -56 to the cross rib 47 within the recess -51, the ends of said clamping plate 55 extending laterally from the crossrib and under the adjacent portions of the cam plates at the inner sides of the grooved portions thereof.

The means for adjusting the grooved plates of the former radially and transversely of the major axis comprises the ring 4l and suitable pins or studs 57- which, in this instance, consist of screws passed through cam slots -58 in the marginal edges of the grooved plates 'l8 and 49 at diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the former, said slots being elongated circumferentially but eccentrically about said axis so that when the studs are shifted rotarily toward one end of the slots, the plates 48 and -4l9 will be forced apart and when shifted to the opposite ends of the slots, said plates will be brought together, thereby increasing in the first instance the minor axis or transverse width of the lens and in the other instance reducingsuch axis or transverse width. It will be observed, however, that in both of such adjustments the major axis or length of the lens remains substantially the same. The clamping plate -55- is provided with a central aperture registering with a similar aperture in the base plate iO- for receiving the lens holding spindle -31-.

' Secured to the upper end of the cutter spindle --38 is a laterally projecting head -60 upon which is pivotally mounted a rotarily adjustable plate 61 carrying at its opposite ends separate pairs of studs or rollers 62 and 6? those of each pair being positioned equi-distant at opposite sides of the pivot as 64. corresponding to the distance between said pivot and axis of the cutter spindle so that either set of rollers may he registered with the groove 54 of the former whereby to cooperate with said former for directing the movements of the cutter spindle and cutter thereon in the operation of cutting the lens to the desired form. This cutter supporting plate -6l may be held in either of its adjusted positions by any suitable detent consisting, in this instance, of a pin plunger 66 movable axially within the hollow cutter spindle 38 and adapted to be forced into alined sockets 67- in the plate 6l by means of a coil spring 68' also located within the drill spindle.

Suitable means, as a finger piece -70, is provided for withdrawing the plunger from interlocking engagement with the plate -61- against the action of the spring 68, said finger piece extending through an elongated slot in one side of the cutter spindle. It is apparent, however, that this swinging said bracket laterally to bring the plate 6l.and rollers carried thereby outfrom under the former. It will be observed that one set of-rolle'rs; as

-62 are relatively close together as shown more clearly in Fig. 9, while the other set of rollers as 63are spaced a greater dis tance apart at opposite sides of the axis of the cutter spindle. It is therefore clear that wheneither set of rollers 62 are brought into operative co-action with the former in the groove 54l, their bearing surfaces upon the walls of the groove serve to hold the cutter tangential to all portions of the ellipse presented thereto by the rotation of the lens and former. It is also apparent that when the studs 6Q are brought into oo-action with the former in the groove 54- in whichthe contact surfaces are closer together, the cutter will follow more closely a medial elliptical line between the inner and outer walls of the groove and thereby conform moreiclosely to the shape-of the former, as shown more clearly in Fig. 9.

On the other-hand when the other set of studs '63' are brought into co-actionwith the former within the groove54l in which the bearing points are considerably farther apart, thev axis of the cutter spindle and therefore the cutter will be caused to ap- 35" proach slightly closer to the axis of rotation of the former and lens when the portions of the former of greatest curvature are presented to'said studs, while the presentation of the portions of the former oflesscurva-i ture to the studs will cause a corresponding recession of. the cutter spindle and cutter from the axis of revolutionv of the lens and lens form. In other words whenfithe lens form is elliptioal or substantially so and the rollers or studs .63 are brought into coaction therewith, the curvature of the ends of the lens at the ends of the major axis will" of the corresponding ends of the lens form,

while the curvature at the opposite ends ofthe minor axis of the lens will be slightly greater or of less radius than the correspondlng portions of the lens form, and it therefore follows that the contour of the cut lens will be somewhat deformed as compared with the contour of the lens form, the degree of deformation depending somewhat upon the degree of curvature of different portions the studs 62. and-63+, it is simply necessary to depress the bracket 37 against the action of the'spr-ing:36.- sufliciently to. withdraw the active studs from the lens former and to then swing the bracket laterally and depress the locking pin 66* against the action of the spring .68..' by means of the finger piece '70-, whereupon the plate 61 may be rocked upon its pivot 6lto bring the other set of studs or rollers -63 into operative engagement with the lens form, said plate being looked in position by releasing the lockingpin .66 the bracket beingthen returned to its normal position to reengage the active studs with the lens form.-

The lens to be cut is placed upon-its support -l6 which is then elevated by means of the hand lever -19-' to bring the lens into contact with the cutter and its holder -32, whereupon the lens support and lens form which are coaxial may be rotated by means of the: handle 28 through the medium of the gears 23, 24', 26 and 27 and flexible shaft 25-, one revolution of the a verselyof the major axis thereof and means;

ad j'ustably connecting said sections.

v2.1-lauelliptical lens form for lens cutting machines comprising opposite sections rela-' tively adjustable transversely of the major axis of the lens form, rotarily adjustable means for adjusting said sections and means for holding the sections in their adjustable positions.

3. An elliptical lensform for lens cutting machines comprising opposite sections relatively adjustable transversely of the major axis of the lens form, said sections having cam slots eccentric to their axis of revoluti on, rotarily adjustable means engaging said slots for adjusting said sections and means for holding the sections in their adjusted positions. e

4'. A lens cutting machine having an elliptical lens form comprising elliptically grooved plates adjustabletransversely of the major axis of the form, means for adjusting said plates and means for holding the sections'in their adjusted positions.

5.111 a lens cutting machine, a lens sup port, a rotary lens form co-axial therewith, means for transmitting rotary motion to the lens support and form, a lens cutter and supportingspindle therefor, said lens form having elliptically grooved plates adjustable transversely of the axis of the form, and connections between the cutter spindle and grooves of the plates for moving the cutter spindle relatively to the axis of revolution of the lens and form.

6. In a'lens cutting machine, a rotary lens support and a coaxial rotary lens form hav ing grooved sectionsadjustable transversely of its axis, a lens cutter, means co-aoting with the grooves of the form sections for directing the movement of the cutter relatively to the axis of rotation of the lens support and form, and means for rotating the lens support and form simultaneously in the same direction.

7. In a lens cutting machine, in combination With a grooved lens form and lens cutter, operative connections between the groove of the lens form and cutter including separate pairs of studs those of one pair being spaced a greater distance apart than those of the other pair, and means for positioning either pair of studs in the groove 15 of the lens form.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this tenth day of August 1912.

OHAUNCEY W. HOWLAND. Witnesses:

ERASTUS HOPKINS, WILLIAM J. ESPEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington D. G. 

